The Newfoundlanders are furious because a French cruiser has prevented
some of their fishermen from plying their trade, and threaten to pay no taxes, or even to annex themselves to the -United States. They have, moreover, sent two delegates home to plead their cause with the Foreign Office, and stimu- late it to energetic action. The question, as we recently pointed out, is one of unusual complexity. The treaties vest the sovereignty of Newfoundland in Great Britain, but they guarantee rights of fishing to the French, and of putting up huts on shore during the fishing season, and even, we greatly fear, of preventing Colonial "competition." The natural course under such circumstances would be to buy French rights ; but the French will not sell, because -they think they can use the rights to worry us out of Egypt. That is not so safe or so astute a policy as it looks, for not to mention the irritation it creates, we also could play the game of worry. We do not advise it, for it is unworthy work ; but if Lord Salisbury looked into the Tanis question, he would find plenty of oppor- tunity for making himself unpleasant. The plain truth is that every Treaty limiting rights of sovereignty in a ceded territory lays the foundation of endless bickerings and enmities.
Previous page
